From The Love That Satisfies by Christopher West, pp. 124-126:
I’d like to ask you to suspend your disbelief for just a moment and walk through the following scenario with me. Imagine that I’m an angel sent by God to give you an important message. You and I are standing before a beautiful stone building. It looks almost like a monument, with a mysterious tower reaching to the heavens. I say to you, “God, the Ultimate Source of the universe, the One, True, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Immutable, Incomprehensible, Infinite, Sovereign, Righteous, Glorious, Holy, Merciful, Loving, Living God who created you, through an incredible self-emptying on his part, has made himself really, truly, actually, substantially present in that building.” Now, with your disbelief still suspended, imagine it to be true. God, the One Real God, is really in there. What would you do? What would you want to do?
Imagine I tell you that God will allow you to enter that building and stand in his presence. What an awesome, unfathomable, glorious opportunity it would be — the chance of a lifetime. But there’s more. Suppose I tell you that God will allow you to see him through a veil. Inconceivable! But there’s more. God will allow you to reach out and touch him through that veil. Outrageous!
Let’s review: God is actually in this building and you are allowed to enter and stand in his presence. You are able to see him and touch him through a veil. Unfathomable? Inconceivable? Outrageous? All that is nothing compared to this final proposition, this final gift. God has told me to tell you — I can barely bring myself to say it. In fact, I asked the Almighty several times in utter bafflement if I had heard him correctly, and he assured me that I had. It’s going to sound crazy, preposterous, mad, I know. But again, keep that disbelief suspended. Are you ready? (This is crazy! This is insanely crazy! Deep breath…) — God has told me to tell you that not only does he want you to be with him in his presence and to rejoice in seeing him and touching him, but he wants — in fact, he said it was the deepest yearning of his heart — you to… to eat him.
What? Yes, you heard me correctly. God wants you to consume him — to eat him so that he can be truly in you and one with you, and you can be truly in him and one with him. O taste and see: taste and see the goodness of the Lord!
I know that this is not how the post was intended, but I couldn’t help but think––up until the last bit–how very like descriptions of the LDS temple experience this is. A very interesting post.
Come and see.
Brad, your post has shaken me. I’m just emerging from a long period of doubt and into the light of the day. How fortunate we are to have the Eucharist. I could let go of all belief, all doctrine, all ritual except that Christ continued to hold me to him with his living presence in the Eucharist. He has called me by my name and I cannot refuse him. He offers me himself and I cannot refuse him. He loves me and I cannot refuse him.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should come to me, but say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Thank you for your post.
Lisieux, praise God. In my darkest hours (and lately they are many), Christ in the Blessed Sacrament has been my only dependable shelter, comfort, and strength. It seems that is true for you too, and how blessed – in the crucibles of suffering and doubt, God multiplies our strength.
Side note: just to be clear, the words in my post are not mine, but were written by Christopher West.
I’ve always very much appreciated the continued emphasis on ceremony and ritual interface with God that is preserved in Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Yes, but the Eucharist is something that goes beyond that. You might call it a “tactile” interface with God.
Can you explain the difference between “tactile” and “ritual?”
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; . . . he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and . . . abides in me, and I in him” (Jn 6:51, 54, 56)
“f you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. To that which you are you respond “Amen” (“yes, it is true!”) and by responding to it you assent to it. For you hear the words, “the Body of Christ” and respond “Amen.” Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true.” Augustine.
Seth,
I mean, the Eucharist does involve ritual – the consecration via the words and command of our Lord, the offering at the Mass, communal worship, and so on. But the encounter with God isn’t brought about only through experiencing the ritual. We certainly experience God through the community and prayers that the rituals involve, but the experience goes much deeper because of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
We are united to God in prayer, praise, and so on. But we are also united with him in every aspect of our being – including physically touching Him, which is why I say “tactile”. Receiving the Eucharist is an encounter that many mystics compare with spousal love, and rightly so. I daresay it is the most deep, intimate, and complete communion with God that anyone can experience this side of heaven. Think of it: if the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist is true, would you want to live without it? Could you?
Yes, Brad, we are united completely with Christ in the Eucharist. Completely. Imagine that.
Though I had my First Communion on May 11, 1963, the whole reality of the Real Presence didn’t fully strike me until I returned to full Communion with the RC Church eleven years ago. Something drew me to Confession and then Mass again, and I heeded the call. (Turns out my Uncle– an RC deacon– and Aunt were praying for me.) It is incredible– awe-inspring and huge, and intimate all at the same time– this opportunity to become one with God. I look forward to it each week, and on Holy days of Obligation, and sometimes even weekday Masses. The Eucharist is so nourishing, in every way. I just wish everyone could appreciate it.